Dimensions Warrington Domiciliary Care Office

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff responded to people in a timely way. The provider supported staff wellbeing. Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas.

However, we identified some areas of the service required improvement. Documentation and guidance for certain medications needed to be strengthened to include person centred information, such as specific information about signs, symptoms and required dosage. Recording and documentation of mental capacity assessments and best interest decisions were inconsistent, and some records had not been reviewed. Care plans required greater accuracy and completeness to ensure they reflected people’s needs and avoided duplication. Some staff supervisions and training were overdue; however these had already been scheduled in by the managers.